Automatic threshold-space closure



L. H. WOODCOCK AUTOMATIC THRESHOLD SPACE CLOSURE Dec. 6,1927, 1,651,570

v Filed Feb. 9, 1927 1, UNITED STATES PATENT o FFICEI; v

LOUIS H. woonoocx, or SPOKANE, WASHINGTVON.

AUTOMATIC THRESHOLD-SPACE cLosunE.

Application filed February 9, 1927. .Serial No. 166,985.

I One of the objects of this invention is to equlp hingedly mounted doors with means for closing the space between the bottom edge of thedoor and the floor when the door is closed so that the usual threshold may be dispensed with. v

further object is to'provide a. device of this character with; means whereby the device is lifted out of contact with or from the floor whenever the door is not in a closed position so as to facilitate and not in any way interfere with free opening and closing movements of the door. 7 Q

A special feature of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is substantially invisible from either side of the door irrespective of the position of the latter, especially from the line of vision of a person standing or sitting.

A novel phase of the invention residesin the manner of disposing the device with re- 7 spect to the bottom edge of the door with a view of rendering the device substantially invisible by reason of the fact'that the device is only coextensive with the area of the bottom edge of the door, and in some cases evenless than such coextensive relation as to size. Y s i A further feature consists in making a device ofthis character which is wholly automatic in its operation, as a result of move ment of the door. Y 1

The device of my invention has many other featuresand'advantages which will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawingand which will be more particularly pointed out in and. by the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1, is a view of one side of a hinged door equipped with, the device of my invention and showing the door in a closed position. i

Fig. 2, is a view of the remaining side of thedoor showing the same in a closed position. I 7

Fig.3, is a sectional view on line 3&3 of Fig. '2, on a slightlyenlarged sca-le,-showing the position of parts with the" door closed! Fig. 4., is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the position of the parts with the door open. I r

Fig. 5, is a sectional view on line 5 5 of Fig.

Fig. 6, is asectional. viewon line .66 of Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

It is immaterial whether the device of my invention is applied to an outside or an in-' side door as it will function with equal efficiency on either, and in the-following description 'Iwill designate each side of the door by a separate reference character to facilitate an explanation of the invention and without reference to the disposition ofthe door with respect to outside or inside.

An ordinary form of door is indicated at 1 and the letter A, designates one side thereof while the letter B designates the other side thereof. Said door is hinged, at 2, to swing in a door frame, the hinge side-being indicated at 3 and the jam side being indicated at 4. As the particular construction ofthe doorand frame are not essential to my invention, no further detail description thereof is necessary. s

The lower edge 5, of the door 1, is in free clearance fromthe floor 6 for a distance approximately equal to the height of the usual threshold, although'in some cases more or less clearance may be provided. However, it is an'advantage of my invention that the door of the usual stock size need not be modified by being shortened, in order that the device of my invention may be applied thereto. It is a feature of my invention to entirely dispense with the threshold, which omission alone, alfordsample clear ance for the installation of mydevice, and it is also to be noted that the floor adjacentto the door is not cut away or inlany main ner altered in order to accommodate my invention. .Th'us, a carpet or rug may extend beneath thedoor'without in any way interfering with the operation of my invention.

f Reverting now to afurther descri tion of the structure, a closure, preferably ut not 10, will he ell'ective for engagement uguinst the floor. The disposition is such that the tree or rubber side edge ol the strip 7 will extend toward the side 1B, of the door. I, here shown the strip 7 composed of a sheet metal body lhei tdouble, id nu interposed lengthof rubber secured between the donhled portions by means such as rivets U ulthough this is not an essentinl construct on.

Que i'1'1e1nhe1fof an operating niecln nism for the strip is secured to the latter, which I will next describe in detail.

Snid oiei'uting l'i'ien l'icr has n portion 12 that is disposed in the strip? us shown in Fig. 5, mull PTOVltlB the same with offset portions 13 to prevent rotntion o'l suid inertiher in said strip. Thus, when the rivets 11 are in pla ce, said portion 12, is securely held in pluce Said portion 19 hus an arm 14; which extends outiirardly from the strip and s rovided wit-h 1 hent end 15 which extends su Jstuntially purullel with said strip, the e11 tire projecting portionbeing hereinafter referred to us an operating arm. i

I will nextdescribe the remaining: portion of the operating mechanism which is shown mounted upon the door.

i The door portion of said operating mechanism is shown as including :1 easing having a, back wall 161, secured to the B-sideo'f the door 1, byineuns such as screws 17, Said casing may here a top wall 18, emlwnlls 19 11116180, and an outer wall 21, that may he removable, the bottom beingopen, as shown. An operuting or plunger r0df22 is slidahly mounted in the walls 19 and 20 and isprovided with at collar 23 vwhich is suitably fixed thereon and Wiiich performs thetuncton of a spring abutment. ,An ,expansi rel uctinn springfld, is interposed between well 20 and said collar 22; and nori'linltlly urges the rod 22, to the left of Fig; 16. On :in adjacent part of thedoor frame, as indicated t 25, l.

' may provide u metalahutinentplute against which said rod 22 may engage when the door is closed, to shift rod to the right of Fig. 6, against the actionof spring 2% the purpose of which will presently nppear.

Means prov ded for tilting said strip upwardly or downwardly. responsively to the action of rod 22, which I Will next ele; scribe in detail. t

11m ho v a az a ne str ctu e Bride ic r re iew ng he function of mpar lug movement to the strip us a result of actuanion of rod One element 26, thereof is pivoted not its upper end to roller 23, at 31, and is pivoted at its renniining end at as, to element 29, the latter being pivoted ut ill), to :1, sleeve 31, on urnr Element 32, is pii'otudat 333, to the cut ing and is pivoted at 3 1, to element 26, and at "its lower end it ispivotully connected at 35, to element 36. Elfillltilllliitl, is pivoted to sleeve i'll, at 30.

The operation is as follows; \Vhen the door is opened and the rod 22 is novod nwny tron nhuhnent 25 and thereby iti'eeih it is instantly uetunted by springtfll; and moved lo the left of llig. ti, until the mu -22s engages wall l9. This retruct s the lazy-tong device and tilts thestrip Th-om the iii-ejected position shown in ,Fig, 3, to the trot. acted posit on shown n F 1g. Lyso closing movetill ill]

1 i1 7. Qnnd the rod 22 engages ehut nent i 953, and is shifted into vthe position shown in Fig. (3, thereby expanding e lazy-tong device and tilting the il' fi edge etstrip 7 downwurdly against the floor or any coverlinn" thereon. 15y reason otthe feetthet the tree cdggeo'l strip 7 is formed of rubber, 1 (en readily compensate for any unevenness oi the floor 01 t ny defect of z line neiit and insure a close engugen ent with the floor nuirninting to n tight closure. By reason the relutiwely loose pivotal connections with the lez tong device, the latter cnn slightly shift its position in the perform-tangentits retructive nd expending movementswcspe riuflly in 'viewojt the'slight-movement and the light duty which it: isjcgilled upon to per'lj'orni. t l i i i It is believed that the device of my invention will he "Fully understood fro nthe fore-i The eonihi nition"with: utloer frame, of e door hinged to snnngin sa d from. and. how

ie limited there mm bottom edge in treeclestrnnce the tloo ya weather closure striplnwingone side edge thereof lih'n-i ed to solid hottoin edge of Find door near one side of? the latter, un eperuting member heving one portion [inch cred in :l strip and provided w th an erm pros I" ig therefrom thefree edge of said sn a lazy-t ng rinte o aid a m and pivoted to said door, a plunger rod slidahlyv said rod to lift said strip, said rod extending mounted on said door and adapted for-ensaid lazy-tong when in coaot-ion with said gagement with said frame to actuate said frame to extend said lazy-tong and lower rod when the door is closed, said rod being said strip into engagement with the floor. operatively connected with said lazy-tong to In witness that I claim the foregoing as contract the latter and lift said strip when my own, I hereby affix my signature.

said door is opened, a spring for actuating LOUIS H. WOODCOCK. 

